Condiment holder or salt shaker



Jan. 15 1924.

E. A. CORBIN, JR

CONDIMENT HOLDER OR SALT SHAKER Fil ed May 10 ATTORNEYS.

Fatented Jan. 15, 1924.

* UNITED STATES CONDIMENT HOLDER on sem SHAKER.

Application filed May 10, 1923. seria Ito/627,988.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELBERT A. CoRBIN, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Swarthmore, in the county of Delaware and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Condiment Holder or SaltShaker, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the general class of condiment holders orcontainers applicable in particular to containing and dis pensinggranular or powdered substances, such as salt, pepper, spices, sugar andsimi lar articles that are intended for household use, "and have to beprotected from dampness, dust or other extraneous matter, and.

the contents of which unless frequently shaken up are apt to becomecompacted and in consequence are not easily shaken out.

Theprincipal object of my invention is the construction of a containerfor granular or powdered substances or the like which embodies a bodyhaving a valved outlet and a cover construction formed with a recess toguide the Valve stem the contents of the container being protected fromthe atmosphere, water or other liquids and from ants and other insects.

To the above ends my invention consists of a novel and useful containerapplicable to salt, pepper, spices, granulated and powdered sugar andall other powders that are used frequently and that have to be scatteredin use, and that must be protected from dampness, dust or otherextraneous matter. 7 V

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawings'forms thereof which are at present preferred byme, since they will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results,although it is to be understood that the various instr'umentalities ofwhich my in-. vention consists can be variously arranged and organizedand that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement andor'-. ganization of these. instrumentalities as herein shown anddescribed.

Figure 1- represents a vertical sectional view of a condiment holder orcontainer, embodying my invention,the section being taken on line 1-'1Figure 2. j

Figure 2 represe'ntsa section on line 22 Fi ure 1. p

igure 3 represents side elevation of a modified form of the valvularmember,

ure 3.

Figure 5 represents a sectional view of the cap of a modification.Figure 6 represents a sectional view ofthe body of said modification. 1

Figure 7 represents a perspective view of the outer skeleton frame ofsaid modificar' tion.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts: i Referringto the drawings i 1 designates my novel construction of salt shaker orcondiment holder, the same com prising the body 2 having the saltreceiving chamber 8, whose bottom wall convergesinwardly as at 4B, andhas the throat, valve seat or outlet opening'5, terminating in theflaring mouth 6, whose bottom surface 7 forms a base for the shaker onwhich it normally rests. The upper portion of the body 2 is eXterio-rlyscrew threaded as at 8, and is engaged by the interiorly screw threadedwall 9 of the cap 10, which is composed of the upper wall 11, and thecentral hollow boss 12 having the hollow guide recess '13 in which isreceived the upper end 14; of the valve stem 15, which projects upwardlyfrom the valve 16, Whose lower shoulder or edge 17 performs the valvularfunction proper and normally rests on the lower portion of the concavedwall Figure 4 represents an'end view of Fig 4, slightly above the throator valve seat 5 18 designates pendant vanes or wings,

which depend from the valve shoulder 17 a and pass through the openingor throat 5 and terminate in the bottom head or disc 19.

It will be seen from the foregoing the length of the valve stem issomewhat greater than the distance between the top of the valve seat atabout'the point 5, and the bottom of'the recess 13, so that the upperportion of the valve stem is always contained within the recess 13,while the lower portion of the valvular member is effectively guided bythe wings or vanes 18, the contents of the container having their exitbetween said vanes and aroundthat the disk or bottom 19, which may beomitted,-

seat the valve to the desired extent and enter the receptacle.

permit the requisite quantity of salt or other condiment to bedispensed.

As a salt shaker my novel device has advantages over the conventionaltype, in that its valvular action keeps the salt protected from theatmosphere and the cover construe tion makes it proof against moistureor water or other liquids being spilled over it. Vermin such as ants orsmall flies cannot Most salt shakers of the conventional type getclogged in damp weather on account of the many small apertu'res throughwhich the salt must flow, while in my device the salt flows by gravitythrough 'a circular opening in the bottom of the container through thethroat 5, and this charge of salt is spread outwardly by the disc 19 atthe extreme lower end of the valve head or plunger 16. The plunger 16acts in a threefold capacity, first, as a valve at its bottom edge 17,second as an agitator for the contents of the container at the shoulderabove this edge and third as a spreader at the disc 19. The top end ofthe stem 15 is guided in the small open ended recess 13, while thebottomend of the valvular member is guided in the hole or throat 5 at thebottom of the container by the plurality of vanes or wings 18. Infilling with fresh salt the cover 10 may be unscrewed and the valve 16left in place at its lower end, or the container may be turned upsidedown with the cover screwed on and filled from the bottom with lesseffort. To clean, the cover can be removed and the plunger or valvularmember withdrawn and all three parts cleaned separately.

My novel design of powder distributor will function very satisfactorilywhen used with powdered or pulverized sugar, flour and the like, asthese very fine powders have a tendency to bridge across and clog upeven moderately large holes in the conventional shaker cap.

It will be apparent that my novel condim entholder has only three parts.which are quickly and easily disassembled for cleaning. Furthermore, mynovel device can also be refilled without removing the cover, which is agreat time saver in large hotels and restaurants, and since it seldomhas to be taken apart and is always closed when not in use, it is moresanitary than other types.

My novel construction further enables the user to release only a smallcharge of condiment with a slight shake of the container and a largercharge of condiment with a greater agitation of the container. In otherwords, my novel device responds automatically'to the degree of agitationsupplied by the user and the flow responds to each agitation and has noopportunity to bridge across or block up the exit at any time, eveni'ndamp weather.

Since my novel device has an automatic plunger valve seated by gravity,it does not have to be inverted to-release its contents nor to bemechanically, operated like other bottom vented containers now in use.These bottom vented mechanically operated containers have from 6 tot)parts, some of which are made of corrosive metal, while my device ismade preferably of glass with only three pieces which are easy todemount or dismantle and clean, and further this glass constructionshows the user, the different contents at a glance and signals when the7 parts 14, 15, 16 and 17 being substantially the same as seen inFig. 1. The vanes 0r wings 22 however, are made without the curved walls20 and the disk 19 is also dispensed with, so that the material afterpassing the edge 17 can flow in straight lines past or along the vanes22. l fhile I have shown 3 vanes or wings 22 as being em-. ployed inFigs. 1 to 4 it will be evident that the number of vanes or wings 22,may be increased or diminished according to requirements.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 I have shown another embodiment of my inventionwhich may be employed when it is desired. tomake a more expensive orornate container, certain of the parts as the cap seen in 5 and theskeleton frame seen in Fig. 7 being made of metal, as gold, silver.aluminum or thelike, which can be chasedor ornamented with any desiredconfigurations.

In assembling the structures seen in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 it will beapparent that the glass body 23 can be dropped within the'skeleton frame2%, the lower end 25 of the body 23 having the throat or outlet 26resting upon the shoulder 27 of the frame 24;, while the upper end ofthe body 23 terminates in proximity to the exteriorly'threaded ring 28.

The valvular member vas 21 is next dropped into the body .23 and the cap29 is screwed upon the-ring 28. The inverted cup member 30 performs thesame function asthe recess 13 and receivesfthe upper end of the valvestem, whenfthe parts are as sembled, as is evident. V

The parts seen in Figs. '5, 6 and '7 .now being assembled, it will beapparentt-hat the valve of the member 21 seen in Fig. 6. will functionin the manner which has already been described.

The skeleton frame seen in Fig. 7 is composed of the upper andlowerannular members 28 and 27, joined by the upright bars 31, bentinwardly at their lower ends below which is a base 82. Other forms ofthis skeleton frame may be designed or employed for the purpose stated.The cup member 29 seen in Fig. can be composed of one or two members asmay be desired, the structure seen in Fig. 5 being composed of theinverted cup shaped member 30, brazed, spot welded or otherwise securedto the top 33 in any suitable manner, or if desired the inverted cupmember can be formed by pressing orstamping integral with the top 33.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful condimentholder or salt shaker, which embodies the features of advantageenumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the abovedescription, and while I have, in the present instance, shown anddescribed a preferred embodiment thereof which will give in practieesatisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that suchembodiment is susceptible of modification in various particulars withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the inventionor sacrificing any ofits advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is V 1. A condiment holder, comprising a bodya top therefor having a central recess therein open at its bottom, agravity seated valve contained in said body and having a pendant wingextending through the lower opening of said body, to guide the lowerportion of said valve, and a valve stem for said valve having its upperend extending into the recess in said cap, whereby the upper and lowerportions of said valve are always centrally positioned and guided withrespect to said body.

2. A condiment holder, comprising a body portion open at both ends, thelower open,- ing forming a valve seat,a closed cap for said body havinga centrally located recess therein open at its bottom, and a valve stemcontained in said body and having its upper 7 end positioned in saidcentral recess and its lower end enlarged and forming a valve, whose topflares outwardly and downwardly at its junction with said stem, andwings depending from said valve and passing through the valve'seat, theinner walls of the lower portion of said body above said valve seatconverging inwardly towards said greater than the distance from the topof said valve seat to the bottom of the recess 7 in said cap;

3. A'condiment holder, comprising a body portion open at both ends, thelower openmg being a throat extending through the base of said body andforming a valve seat, a closed cap for said body having a centrallylocated recess therein, open at its bottom, and a valve stem containedin said body and having its upper end positioned in said central recessand its lower end enlarged-rand formin a valve, whose top flaresoutwardly at its unction with said stem, and wings.

depending from said valve, the inner walls of the lower portion of saidbody above said 7 valve seat converging'inwardly towards said seat, andthe length of said stem being greater than the distance from the top ofsaid valve seat to the bottom of the recess in said cap, said wingsprojecting through said valve seat and serving as a guide to thevalvular member, the latter seating by grav-, lty upon the lower innerconverging inner walls of said body above said throat;

4. A condiment holder comprising a body portion open at both ends, thelower opening forming a valve seat, a closed cap for said body having acentrally located recess therein open at its bottom, and a valve stemcontained in said body and having its upper end positioned at all timesin said central recess and its lower end forming a valve,

whose top flares outwardly at its junction with said stem, wingsdepending from said v'alve,'the inner wallsof the lower portion ofsaidbody above said valve seat, converging inwardly towards said seat,and the length of said stem being greater thanvthe distance fromrthe topof'said valve seat to the bottom of the recess in said cap, said wingsprojecting through said valve seat and serving as a guide for thevalvular member,

and a bottom disk for said vwings over the i 7 '7 outer edges of whichthe material is dispensed.

5. A open at both ends, a skeleton" frame enclosing said body, a capatthe upperportion of said body and having a central r'ecesstherein'open at its bottom, .a valve for the lower portion of said body,'and avalve stem for said condiment holder, comprising a body too 7 valvehaving itsupper end at all timespositioned within the recess ,in saidcap.

ELBERT AA. VGORBIN, JR.

Witnesses:

EJHAYWARD FAIRBANKS, C. D. MCVAY.

